Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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11. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the fact that the local authorities have reduced their staff from 37,243 in 2008 to 28,268, if he will outline in tabular the local authorities from which these reductions took place; and the grade of employment of these staff and the salary scale of these staff. [28065/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The moratorium on Public Service posts was introduced 2009 and my Department operates a delegated sanction for its implementation in relation to local authorities. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each City and County Manager is responsible for staffing arrangements in individual local authorities. My Department works closely with local authority management to ensure that the reduction in staff numbers is managed so that the appropriate service level is maintained within budgetary and staffing constraints.

Since 2008 local authority staff numbers have reduced by 8,975, almost a quarter, from 37,243 to 28,268 whole time equivalent staff and this has contributed to reported payroll savings of some €300 million. It is necessary to continue to focus on achieving the greatest possible savings while an appropriate level of service to the public is maintained. In this context, my Department and local authorities have carried out work force planning, on a sector wide basis, and the process is continuing at local authority level taking account of, inter alia, the new municipal district structures, Irish Water and shared service initiatives.

Information regarding staff reductions on a grade by grade basis is not available in my Department. I will, however, circulate with the Official Record, a table showing the reduction in staff numbers in each local authority (WTE).